by Nate Chinen

Matana Roberts

12/08/2009

Programming note: tomorrow (Wednesday) night I will be at the Issue Project Room for a performance of Matana Roberts’ COIN COIN, a so-called “blood
narrative” that draws on family history, genealogy, folklore and myth. I’m conducting
a post-concert conversation and Q&A with Roberts. The evening -- featuring
her string ensemble, which includes violist Jessica Pavone and cellist Daniel
Levin, among others -- is a benefit for the Bread and Life Soup Kitchen, a
healthy-food initiative in Brooklyn.

I reviewed a previous
chapter of COIN COIN two years ago. Roberts tells me that the concept has
evolved considerably since, in form as well as content. The image above is from
her score, which makes that point better than I can here. I’ll leave further elaboration to Roberts
herself, via email: